


Like a love song

by mkhhhx



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Band Fic, Cat Petting, Coffee Shops, Dimple kissing, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Music, and music writing, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2019-11-19 02:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18129767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mkhhhx/pseuds/mkhhhx
Summary: Jooheon decides to write a song for his anniversaries with Kihyun.





	Like a love song

**Author's Note:**

  * For [floofsta_x](https://archiveofourown.org/users/floofsta_x/gifts).



> Prompt by by floofsta_x:
> 
> Symphony -- Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson  
> This is a simple real life, modern day setting romance. Lots of bright settings such as coffee shops and a music studio.  
> Music URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aatr_2MstrI
> 
> Maybe not exactly what you were waiting for but I hope you'll like it <3

Gucci and Yoshi are playing at the feet of the couch, the gentle afternoon light slipping into the room through the blinds and Jooheon couldn’t feel more blessed than he does at this very moment. Kihyun is in his arms, holding his acoustic guitar and playing simple chords lazily, singing some old song only for them to hear.

 Jooheon leans to mouth on his boyfriend’s neck, Kihyun stopping what he was doing and giggling loudly, he’s just so ticklish everywhere.

“You’re in a really good mood today, huh?” Kihyun turns his head to smile at him, pecking each of his dimples, their kittens climbing on the couch to request their share of attention.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Jooheon kisses Kihyun’s lips before occupying his hands with petting Yoshi and Gucci.

“Is it because of the upcoming tour or our anniversaries?” Kihyun asks, knowing how much Jooheon enjoys concerts and interacting with their fans. He gives off a completely different energy on stage.

“Both.” Jooheon hugs Kihyun’s waist to hold him close, Kihyun’s back flush against his chest. “Why did you stopped playing?”

Kihyun laughs, a smooth, little sound that makes Jooheon’s heart soar echoing in the room. He starts playing his guitar again and Jooheon sings the back vocals and their cats start meowing, like a weird, happy family.

 

-

 

There are a hundred different ways in which people express their love. Flowers, dates, heartfelt confessions and presents. For Jooheon and Kihyun is has always been music, the common language they both speak and communicate with. Ever since the company suggested putting them together when they were trainees to form a rock duet, to nowadays, not much has changed.

When Kihyun is sad he shuts himself in the studio to sing ballads and when Jooheon is angry he plays his drums a little extra loud. And they understand each other better than anyone else. And that was the way they kept getting closer and closer, settling into something beautiful, a steady dynamic present their personal lives as much as their professional ones.

At first it was awkward, to say the least. Kihyun had just turned eighteen and Jooheon was still a teenager with too much energy to spare. They seemed like polar opposites, even more when they had to live together at the new apartment the company provided when they debuted. Kihyun was quiet, organized and clean. Jooheon had to have his music at full volume at all times and had trouble picking up after himself. And yet, despite the bickering and the fighting and the days of silence, somehow it all worked out.

It all worked out because Jooheon respected Kihyun and his work ethic so much. And vice versa Kihyun acknowledged the energy and effort Jooheon put in every little thing. So for the sake of music, day by day Jooheon was getting a little better at cleaning his room and Kihyun a bit more relaxed and willing to help.

That’s how a spark of affection appeared soon, maybe a few months after they moved in together, although nobody acknowledged it until long, long after. It was the early mornings Kihyun woke Jooheon up and the late nights Jooheon kept Kihyun awake to show him a new song idea. It was working together on the sample songs the company gave them and making something so much better than the original out of them. It was having someone to return home to and adopting two kitten brothers from the local shelter together. Being so close, seeing Kihyun’s smile when Jooheon played just the right beat at the drums and Jooheon’s eyes sparkle when Kihyun hit those high notes time after time, it didn’t take them long to fall for each other.

It was spring when they started living together and it was spring again when they found themselves at a small café and Jooheon’s mind was away and his mouth slipped and he told Kihyun he thought he was in love with him, just like that, out of nowhere. And Kihyun had paid for their drinks and took his hand, guiding him back to their studio, a few blocks away.

Kihyun had shut the door and they kissed, awkwardly and sloppily because Jooheon had never done anything like this before, but he followed Kihyun’s movements and it got better, their next kiss and all the next times they found themselves kissing each other after that.

The café became a meeting place for them. A small heaven of coffee and baked goods to discuss their ideas, escaping from the claustrophobic studio they both loved so much for some hours.

It didn’t take long for the lady behind the counter to recognize them as regulars and neither to realize who they were, asking them to take a photo with her and sign. But apart from that, it was an old, quiet place and rarely would they meet any of their fans there, so they kept visiting, which was as much of a date as it was part of work for them.

They never really talked about getting, or being together. There weren’t any loud declarations of love or gifts for Valentine’s Day. But if the familiar way Kihyun’s lips slotted on his own and the long showers they took together and the fancy dinners all over the world while they were on tour were to indicate something, Jooheon would say they were very much together and happily so.

Not many people knew, although most must have guessed it. Despite always being cautious in public, there were only that many times they couldn’t slip in the five years they were a band. Their manager, Hyunwoo, knew for sure, he’s been to their house too many times and the signs are all there, only one of the two beds used every night. Minhyuk, the CEO’s son knew too, he had befriended Kihyun soon after debut and he was just so good at reading people. And Hoseok, the dance instructor who was openly gay was the first one to see it. He had asked Jooheon, who couldn’t deny a thing, about it and wished them the best, as long as it didn’t mess with the band.

Despite having worked on so many projects together, written their own songs and collaborated with other artists in and out of their company, it’s the first time Jooheon thinks of doing something extra special, writing a song for Kihyun. Their sixth anniversary since debut is soon and so it their fifth anniversary together, which they always loosely celebrated.

Sneaking away to work on it without Kihyun noticing proves itself to be a little extra difficult, because as much as they always respect and give each other space, Kihyun can sense that something is off, popping to Jooheon’s space every few hours to bring him snacks or coffee and tell him he needs to eat and get up to exercise. And when they go to the gym together late at night Jooheon has to find excuses to what he was so concentrated on the whole day.

In his mind he replays the lyrics he’s written and realizes how sappy they are, wonders if their fans will understand for whom it’s written if the company lets them actually record it. They’ve done a lot of love songs, for blooming romances and bad break ups. For pretty girls and unattainable women. But this one song doesn’t have female pronouns. And it speaks for love, but also for familiarity and finding home in each other, wherever they are. Jooheon can already imagine Kihyun’s soft voice, laced with feeling, the electric guitar and himself banging the drums. Perfect, just perfect.

“You’re so distracted” Kihyun tells him when they are walking home, “what’s on your mind?”

Jooheon looks at him, almost tells him he loves him, because it’s the only thing in his mind. He used to care only about fast paced songs and badass lyrics, but he’s changing.

“Just Yoshi’s vet appointment” he says instead, “wondering if I should take Gucci too for a checkup.”

“Yeah, why not” Kihyun smiles, “do you want me to drive you?”

Jooheon can drive to the vet himself just fine, but he knows it’s an excuse for Kihyun to pet anything and everything at their vet’s waiting lobby. So he nods and takes Kihyun’s hand in his own. In those quiet hours of the night there’s nobody to see them they are safe, except maybe the neighbor old lady that peeks out from her curtains when she can’t sleep, but she knows already and she loves Kihyun because he brings her homemade cake every other week.

 

On the third day of constant working on that song, Jooheon decides to visit their favorite café, seeking that little push of inspiration to finish the lyrics, make everything come together beautifully. He orders Kihyun’s favorite instead of his own and the owner looks at him funnily, but doesn’t comment on it.

He scribbles notes and words and stray chords down on paper, because working on his laptop distracts him so much. And when he’s almost done the stripped notebook in front of him is a beautiful mess of scribbles and lines and little asterisks, but at last, it all makes sense. And the lyrics are more than good enough to declare his love to the whole world.

He only remembers that he’s put his phone in silent for hours when Kihyun opens the cafes door and looks at him with a sigh.

“It’s okay if you want to keep secrets from me, but please let me know where you are.” Kihyun sits at the chair opposed to him, “Hyunwoo was looking everywhere for you.”

Jooheon feels a little guilty, he should have told their manager at least.

“Was working on something” he croaks weakly, hugging his notebook to his chest.

“You are weird lately and I’m getting worried.” Kihyun leans to his space. “You would tell me if something is wrong, right?”

“Everything’s alright” Jooheon says, an anxious smile on his lips.

“Okay.” Kihyun leans back on his chair and drinks his coffee without trying to coax more out of Jooheon.

 

A whole month and a half before their anniversaries the song is almost complete. Jooheon composes the music on his own with the help of some old samples from songs Kihyun liked but ended up not using for their albums. He records the first guide version himself, then makes Hyunwoo, Hoseok and Minhyuk come and listen to it and when they approve he sends it to the upper ups for approval. Kihyun, somehow, still knows nothing.

 

After three days he’s called to one of the producer’s rooms. He’s told the song is good, actually good enough to be properly recorded. And then he’s asked, why isn’t he recording it with his own voice? The guide sounds really good, the producer says and although most of their fans worship Kihyun’s voice, they adore Jooheon’s too, when he occasionally chimes in to help with small parts or back vocals. It would be great for their debut anniversary, the producer insists.

 “It’ll be the perfect gift” Minhyuk tells him afterwards, “don’t tell him anything and just release it at your debut anniversary.”

 

Things get hectic after that, Jooheon counting the days to the release, recording alone for the first time, because even when he did solo parts Kihyun was always there. More often than not he’s talking to Yoshi and Gucci about how excited he is and how much he hopes Kihyun is gonna love the song, lack of any other available ears to listen to him.

He knows his voice isn’t as good as Kihyun’s and that the lyrics are way sappier than their songs, the electric guitar Minhyuk is playing and Hoseok at the keyboard a weird sound compared to their usual duet. But apart from all this Jooheon enjoys every moment of the process, because after all, music is creating and this song is one more of his children.

 

-

 

And that’s how they end up at their studio with the kittens at their feet that day, a quiet afternoon a few hours before the release of the song. Jooheon has asked Kihyun to stay up with him until late to write and answer wishes for their debut anniversary from their fans. The sun has set and Yoshi and Gucci are half asleep at the other end of the couch, Kihyun’s guitar on the floor.

 

When the clock strikes twelve Kihyun gets a notification at his phone and Jooheon can almost picture Minhyuk’s wide smile when he pressed the upload button, a few floors underneath them.

“What-?” Kihyun turns to him.

“To many years to come.” Jooheon kisses the top of Kihyun’s head and the final version of the song starts playing from Kihyun’s phone.

And Kihyun is happily crying even before the song comes to an end.

 


End file.
